FROM

The compassionate majority of all faiths and holiday traditions should
make their views known to manufacturers and retailers, lest the famous
Christmas song be changed to find "six geese a-slaying."

Sadly, not all religious traditions emphasize kindness to all creatures.
Witness the Fellowship of Christian Hunters, Christian Bowhunters of America
and the Christian Outdoorsman online forum. (Their Bibles apparently have
"Thou shalt not kill" written in pencil.)

The odd juxtaposition of hunting season with the holiday season is made
even more bizarre by the availability of hunting toys for children. At a
time when many sermons and civic projects tout "peace on earth" and good
will toward others, some children are receiving gifts that reflect more fear
than cheer, which can have a big influence on their relationships with
animals for the rest of their lives.

Here are a few of the offerings in the holiday hunting lodge:

"Hunter Dan," an action figure that comes complete with "a hunting rifle
with Nikon® scope and sling, Nikon binoculars and a rangefinder, an
Ameristep® treestand, a treestand safety vest, orange stocking cap, rattling
antlers, and Rocky® rubber hunting boots." And in the name of
equal-opportunity execution, there's "Hunter Ann," with all the same
gear.

For those who want pint-sized versions of actual hunters, there's also a
toy figure in the likeness of the Outdoor Channel's Michael "Bone Collector"
Waddell, who states on his Web site that "Droppin' the hammer and closin'
the coffin on anything with antlers, feathers or fur just never gets old."
There are four versions of his action figure, complete with miniature deer
stands, crossbows and plastic prey.

What's next, "Camo Claus"?

InterActive Toy Concepts makes a "Duck Hunter" game where players use an
infrared gun to shoot a flying toy duck around the room or yard for 30
seconds; three "hits" send the duck crashing to the ground.

New Ray Toys makes a playset with a tractor-trailer full of ATVs and
figurines of hunters, dogs, deer and ducks.

Video stores have a host of computer games with such names as "Ultimate
Duck Hunting," "Trophy Bucks" and "North American Hunting Extravaganza."
Granted, video hunting is preferable to the real thing, but the message is
much the same: animals are portrayed as targets with no real thoughts,
emotions or pain. Unlike human-based war or fantasy games, there are fewer
social and legal taboos to deter a video hunter from becoming a real one.

Make-believe hunting games and weapons have very real implications, which
have been studied and discussed by social scientists who note that kids who
aren't encouraged to kill real animals by the time they're in their late
teens likely never will. Hunting organizations are quite aware that their
lethal legacy won't continue unless each successive generation is encouraged
to hunt, which is why they employ the use of toys, books, camps and classes
to recruit hunters as young as five. Compassionate attitudes about animals
and the world in general are formed early, usually by age 8. This means that
what children find under the Christmas tree may help determine whether
they'll be building deer stands in real trees in years to come.

Sadly, not all religious traditions emphasize kindness to all creatures.
Witness the Fellowship of Christian Hunters, Christian Bowhunters of America
and the Christian Outdoorsman online forum. (Their Bibles apparently have
"Thou shalt not kill" written in pencil.)

Fortunately, humane education in the early years and courses that relate
to human-animal studies in later years can help children and young adults
develop empathy and perspective that may make them more mindful of any kind
of violence toward animals, whether in the woods, in the classroom or on a
farm. As a society we need to be mindful of the messages that are out there,
and help children navigate them ethically.

There are wonderful toys and activities that encourage children to learn
about life rather than take it, and most nature programs are geared toward
respecting the environment and all who live in it. But the products that
disrespect nature should not be taken lightly. The compassionate majority of
all faiths and holiday traditions should make their views known to
manufacturers and retailers, lest the famous Christmas song be changed to
find "six geese a-slaying."

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